A Burgundian Wild Boar Hunt

In my first few weeks here at The Hungry Cyclist Lodge I always new when it was time for a cup of tea. Deeply engrossed in tugging ivy off walls or hacking at the hard earth the silence of the afternoons would be broken daily at 5pm by the faint echoes of a pack of hungry hounds that kennel in the forrest down the track from the house. Each day a member of the Auxey-Duresses hunt would deliver their food and without fail they new when it was time to eat.

Hunting is a big deal here in Burgundy and every weekend in the the cold months of winter men in high vis jackets march around the countryside blowing horns and tracking the powerful packs of 'sanglier' that inhabit the dense forests of the region. A fiercely territorial beast the wild boar of Burgundy are all muscle. Combined with razor sharp tusks and a furious appetite they devastate the local crops, gardens and vines and are very much considered a pest.

Hunted here for thousands of years by Celts, Romans and Burgundians a days hunt is heavy with tradition, food wine and song. Lucky enough to be invited to "le chase" here are a selection of images from a day hunting wild boar in Burgundy. Enjoy the galley of images below and to find out how you can experience a private wild boar hunt in Burgundy do get in touch.